Autographic copying and recording apparatus



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

' A. LE G. PEIRGE.

AUTOGRAPHIO COPYING AND REGORDING APPARATUS. No. 472,743.

7? W, Cw? grw i @kce Y 2Sheets-Sheet 2..

(.No Model.)

A. LE G. PEIROE. AUTOGRAPHIG GOPYING AND RECORDING AFFAIR,ATUS.v

Patented M11212, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALMY LE GRAND PEIRCE, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT ANDMESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE WILSON IMPROVED STORE SERVICE COMPANY, OFKENTUCKY.

AUTOGRAPHIC COPYING AND RECORDING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming art Of Letters Patent NO. 472,743, dated April 12,18 92.

Application filed October 22, 1390. Serial No. 368,941. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ALMY LE GRAND PEIRCE, a citizen of the United Statesof America, and a resident of the city of Grand Rapids, in the county ofKent and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Autographic Copying and Recording Apparatusthat is, aclass of devices where simultaneously with the writing ofone documentone or more identical copies of the original are producedof which thefollowing is a specification.

These devices are generally used in stores and offices where a record ismade of all such business transactions as orders, sales, &c., and whereit is desirable to have more than one copy of the same-one or two forimmediate use and one being retained with the apparatus for futurereference in case disputes or misunderstandings ariseserving, also, as aguard against irregularities and negligence on the part of employs,because the copying and recording preservation of the writing is beyondtheir access and control and transpires simultaneously with the writingand removal of the original document.

The invention consists in the features of construction and arrangement,substantially such as more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, andto which reference is hereby made, Figure 1 is longitudinal sectionthrough the machine, taken on line 1 1 of Figs. 3 and 5. Fig. 2 is a topview of the device. Fig. 3 is a section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 isa front View of the machine. Fig. 5 is atop view of the device withcover removed and parts broken away to expose the interior. Fig. 6 is afront view of the paper roll, showing also the supports of the" same.Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section of the tablet. Figs. 8 and 9 areelevations of the two sprocket-wheels, showing them as they appear whileviewed from the inside of the box.

10 is the body of the apparatus, consisting of bottom and four sides, ofany suitable materialiron, wood, &c. The front side 11 is provided withan opening, which exposes to view the record made of a transpiredtransaction during the interval preceding the next transaction. Thisopening is preferably covered with glass or other transparent substance.

12 indicates a supply-roll of paper. This roll consists of as manystrips in one layer wound upon it as copies are needed. The advantagesof this roll so made up will be hereinafter fully apparent. The leastnumber of copies required is two-0 ne for immediate use and one to bepreserved on the recorddrum. Ordinarily, however, three copies aredesired-two of these copies for immediate use and the other forpreservation on the recorddrum. In such cases three strips of paper areused, as shown in the drawings and indicated by 13 14 15. 13 indicatesthe top strip and is the one on which the operator directly writes. 14indicates the next strip and on this strip the characters written by theoperator on strip 13 are (as he writes them) impressed or marked bymeans of a sheet of transfer-paper l6, interposed between this strip 13and the said strip 14. Immediately behind or under strip 14 is anothersheet of transferpaper 17, by means of which a copy on the :rccord-strip15 is produced. The latter strip is located immediately behind or underthe transfer-paper 17. All these strips after leaving roll 12 pass overaguide-roller 34 and onto the writing-tablet 18. The preferred mode ofupholding this tablet is, as shown, by pins 19,

extending from its under side and engaging with lugs 20, extendinginwardly from the sides of the body.

The top strip is covered by the cover 54 of the machine, which isremovable, and a preferred means for enabling it to be easily removedand replaced is as follows: The cover 54 is hinged at 21 to the rearside of the body and secured by a lock 22. The opening of this covergives access to the interior of the box. A rectangular opening A,somewhat smaller and within the margin of the tablet 18 below it. isprovided in the cover and indicates the limit of the spaoewhich may becovered by writing. The two upper strips 13 and 14 pass out from the boxbelow or atthe lower end of this opening, while the record' strip 15passes on the inside of the box and over guide-rollers 23 and 24 ontothe record- ICO ing-drum 25. This latter has flanges 26 to prevent anuneven accumulation thereon.

A valuable feature of construction consists in the combination of themandrel 27, carrying the paper roll aforementioned, and asecnd mandrelor drum 25, on which latter is wound therecord-strip15,and suitablemeans for enabling the withdrawal of the strip or strips, as 13 and 14,from the apparatus to antomatically rotate the mandrel 27, and, throughthe agency of the latter, rotate in unison the said mandrel or drum 25.A preferred means for accomplishing such rotation is as follows, viz:The mandrel 27 of the paper rol l,as well as the drum 25, are connectedeach with a sprocket-wheel 28 and 29, the whe'el 28 on the paper rollbeing in the present instance about twice the size of the one 29 on thereceivingdrum and transmits motion to sprocket 29 by means of an endlesschain 30. The diameter of the sprocket-wheel 28, attached to the mandrel27, in relation to the diameter of the sprocket-wheel 29 of the mandrel25 is in general so proportional to the diameter of the respectivemandrels that the mandrel 25 shall be compelled to rot-ate at a speedsuch as shall wind the record-strip on the mandrel as fast as it isunwound from the mandrel 27 of the paper roll. The chain and thesesprocket-wheels, in connection with thesupplemental mechanismhereinafter specified, enable this operation to be. accomplished withgreat accuracy and success.

31 is a flap hinged at 32 to either side of the opening in the cover andis provided with a knife-edge 33. This latter is ordinarily keptsomewhat off the top by means of a spring 64. (See dotted lines in Fig.1.)

Below the edge of the cutter 31 isa cutting board or surface Thissurfaceisinclined downward toward the rear of the machine, and the edgeof the cutter while in use strikes this incline preferably near thebottom of the latter, it being'understood that when itruse the strip ofpaper 13, before being severed, lies between the cutting-edge of thecutter and the surface of the said cutting-board 33%.

The general operation is as follows: The particular businesstransactions having been noted on the paper within the opening in thetop, producing simultaneously two copies below, flap 31 is raised topermit the edges of strips 13 and 14 being taken hold of. They are nextpulled out to the required length until all the written matter appearsdrawn out from under the flap, which latter is now depressed with onehand to bring its knife-edge down onto the paper, where it is held untilthe other hand. tears the strip off. While the two strips are beingpulled out roll 12 is revolved, correspondingly rotating thesprocket-wheel 28 and by means of endless chain 30 causing the othersprocket-wheel 29, with the receiving-drum 25, to revolve also. Thelatter, having the loweror record strip 15 connected to it, causes thesame to be wound upon it.

As will be seen, sprocket 29 and drum 25 are about of an equal diameter,which latter is approximately one-half the size of the diameter of thesprocket-wheel on the supplyroll. The effect of this arrangement is thatthe receiving-drum, being smaller than the paper roll is at thebeginning, revolves faster than the latter in order to fully take up theamount of paper unwound. The combined record-roll. consisting of thereceiving drum or mandrel 25 and its enveloping strip of record-paperwound thereon in layers, increases in diameter as the record-paper iswound thereon. On the other hand, the combined supply-roll formed by themandrel 27 and the supply-paper thereon, correspondingly decreases indiameter as the strips of paper are unwound therefrom. As thesupply-roll thus decreases and the diameter of the receiving-drumincreases by the accumulating paper thereon the original proportionbetween-the amounts of the paper discharged and wound doesn'ot harmonizeany more with the constant proportion of speeds between-the twosprocket-wheels. To equalize this unevenness and to prevent tearing ofthe paper by the receiving-drum, which as the paper at:- cumulatesthereon takes up more paper than therevolution of the mandrel 27 of thepapersupply roll would through the rotation of the sprocket-wheelsupply, the connection be-- tween the sprocket 29 and drum 25 is notrigid, but obtained by frictional contact of such a degree that the drum25 slips away from the sprocket-wheel whenever the speed of the latteris faster and in disproportion to the paper unwound from the supplyroll.The details of a construction to enable the said drum 25 thus to slipare as follows: The inner ends of the shafts of the sprocket-wheelsrevolve in frames 35 and extend through them. Two or more springs 36 arerigidly secured to this end of the shaft of sprocket 29, which shaft hasalso a round opening in its end, running inwardly in the direction ofthe axis of said shaft and fitted to receive a pivot-pin 37, extendingout from drum 25. In placing this drum in position its flange 26adjacent to the. springs 36 is placed against their free ends and pushedtoward sprocket 29 until pin 37 enters its socket in the sprocket-wheelshaft and the other pivot=pin 38 at the opposite end of the drum isenabled to enter its socket-bearing 39. The socket in this bearing isnot deep enough to permit springs 36 to fully expend their energy whenthe drum is released, but so proportioned in depth-that it holds thelatter against them and produces thus the frictional contact, thepurpose of which has already been explained. Springs 36 are secured tothe collar 40, which by means of a set-screw may be adjusted laterallyon the sprocketwheel shaft in order to permit the regulation of thefrictional contact to its proper degree. In case of the supply-rollthesocket in the shaft of the sprocket-wheel 28 is square, in order toproduce with the correspondingly-shaped end 41 of the mandrel of thesaid roll a posi tive connection. The other bearing 42. for the remoteend of this roll is circular and located at the free end of a spring 43.In placing the paper roll in position its round pivot 44 is placedfirstin this spring-bearing, which is now pressed outwardly until thesquare end 41 is enabled to enter its socket, after which the roll maybe released, the spring-bearing keeping it in its proper place. Whilethe supply roll and receiving drum are thus placed in their respectivepositions the top of the machine is open and the tablet 18 removed. Thepaper from the supply-roll is connected to the receiving-drum inasuitable manner. A preferred mode and means of myinvention for makingsuch connection is as follows: Enough paper is unwound and passed overguide-roller 34 to reach about halfway over the writing-tablet 18, if itwere in its proper position. A band 45, having a spring-clamp 46connected to it and secured to drum 25, is unwound from it and passedupwardly around guide-rollers 23 and 24. The ends of the unwound paper,as well as the band 45, are turned outwardly over theirrespective-adjacent ends of the box, so as to be out of the way for thepurpose of placing the tablet 18 in its proper position. The inner oneof the three paperstrips, which is the record-strip 15, and band 45 arenow brought over the tablet and connected to each other by means ofspring-clamp 46, which is opened and grips the paper. Any slack whichmay be in the paper or band is taken out by turning the paper 'roll insuch a direction as to take it up. Next a sheet of transfer-paper 17,secured to a spring-clamp 47, is put in position by placing the lattersreduced ends 48 into notches49, cutinto an extension 50, which reachesout from the writing-tablet. The middle strip 14 is now drawn over thesmoothed transfer-paper and another sheet of transferpaper 16, securedto a similar clamp 51, also having reduced ends 52, is placed intonotches 5.3, cutinto extension 50. It is smoothed and the top sheet 13is drawn over it, after which cover 54 maybe brought down and locked,putting the apparatus in ready condition for use.

The signal consists of a bell 55 and a bellhammer 56, the free end ofwhich reaches into the path of one or more pins 57, secured w to one ofthe flanges 26 of the receiving-drum 4 mechanism described in motion.

25. During the revolution of the drum these pins come in contact withthe bell-hammer, which strikes the bell as many times as there are pins.Where there are more than one of these copying and recording apparatusesin use in one establishment, the number of these pins may be varied, soas to indicate by the number of sounds the particular apparatus whichhas been operated. The same object might be accomplished bydifferently-sounding bells. As will be seen, the pulling out of the twotop strips causes the bottom or record strip to be wound by setting theparticular This is attained by the peculiar way of winding the differentpaper strips onto one supply-roll, as explained before. Thetransfer-sheets, being left free at their lower ends, can never ruffle,because the paper strips while passing over them keep them constantlysmooth.

The mechanical connection between supply-roll and receiving-drum may beaccomplished by any means different from V the sprocket wheels andchains, but their equivalents. Thus, for instance, a train of cogwheelsmight be used to advantage for the same purpose.

While the various features of my invention are preferably employedtogether, one or more of said features may be used without theremainder, and in sofar as applicable one or more of said features maybe employed in connection with other autographic copying and recordingapparatus.

What I claim as new and of my invention, and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is

1. In a copying and recording apparatus, the storage-drum upheld at oneend bya journal-bearing and at the other end provided with friction-diskfixedly secured thereto, and a sprocket or gear wheel provided withspringarms or elastic spider fixedly secured to said sprocket-wheel androtated therewith, and a single journal upholding the saidsprocketwheel, springs, and the adjacent end of the storage-roll andfriction-plate, the said journal being provided with a shoulder bearingagainst the end of the roller, while its journal enters a center openingtherein, and the adjustable nut 40, located on the shaft outside of thesprings and secured to said shaft by a set-screw for enabling thesprocketwheels and springs to be separated more or, less from thefriction-plate and the amount of friction between the friction-plate ofthe drum and the springs thus to be regulated, substantially as and forthe purposes specified.

2. The tablet on which lies the memorandum-paper, and the hinged-flapcutter pivotally connected to the apparatus and whose cutting edgeextends across the machine, the rear or hinged edge of the flap beingsufficiently elevated for the paper to pass underneath without beingfrictionally retarded thereby, and the cutting board or surface 33%,located immediately beneath the flap 31, the paper to be out being drawnout from be neath the flap and up out over the said cutting-board,substantially as and for the purposes specified. I

3. The tablet on which lies the memorandum-paper, and the hinged-flapcutter pivotally connected to the apparatus and whose I cutting-edgeextends across the machine, the rear or hinged edge of the flap beingsufficiently elevated for the paper to pass underneath without beingfrictionally retarded thereby, and spring 64, hearing against thecutter-flap, and the anvil or cutting-board 33%, located beneath thecutting-edge of the flap, the paper when drawn out to be cut lying onthe cutting-board and beneath the cutting edge of the flap, the'spring64 keepingv the cutting-edge of the flap cutter elevated off the paper,except when depressed bythe operator in the act of cutting the paper,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

4. The tablet on which lies the memoran durn-paper, provided with thehinged-flap cut ter, whose cutting-edge extends across the machine, therear or hinged edge of the flap being elevated and the paper passingbeneath the flap, the flap being curved marched in cross-section, thecutting end por'tionot the flap extending downward, and the cuttingboard or surface 33%, having the inclined face upon which the paper tobevcut lies whilethe cutting-edge of the'flap presses on the paper inthe operation of severing "the latter, sub stautially as and for thepurposes specified. I

5. The tablet on which lies the memorandum-paper, provided with thehinged-flap cutter, Whose cutting-edge extends across the machine, therear or hinged edge of the flap being elevated and the paper passingbeneath the flap, the flap being curved or arched in cross-section, thecutting end portion of the flap extending downward, and the cuttingboard or surface 33%, having the inclined face upon which the paper tobecut lies while the vatedfor the paper to pass underneath With- 7 outbeing frictionally retarded thereby, and

the cutting board or surface 33%, located immediately beneath the flap'31, the paper to be out being drawn out .from beneath the flap and up outover the said cutting-board, the apparatus having an open topspacewhereby the upper surface of the strip 13 ot paper is exposed to bewritten upon and the cuttingedge of the cutter-flap and the cutter-boardbeing located between said open space and the front or delivery end ofthe said machine,

substantially as and for the purposesspecified.

ALMY LE GRAND PEIYRCE.

Attest:

F. W. BBOWNE, K. SMITH.

